Purpose: To develop bunting techniques. Emphasizing the bunt during practices is always a part of softball coaching.

Procedure: One broom handle, a bucket of rag balls or tennis balls A player stands in the batters box and the coach stands approximately halfway between the pitcher’s mound and home plate.The coach throws or tosses a rag ball underhand to the batter.The batter squares around and bunts the ball. Bunting is a difficult, yet crucial, skill to master and is an important strategy in almost every level of youth softball. Emphasize that it is not necessary to bunt the rag ball to a particular side of the infield but that making contact with the broom handle is most important. Timing is important when bunting. In this drill, the objective for the batter is to make contact with the ball therefore, the batter can start in the bunting position. To keep more players actively involved, perform this drill with two or three players. A broom handle is much narrower then a bat, which makes hitting the ball more challenging. When bunting, the batter should not push the bat (or broom handle) into the ball but instead let the ball meet the bat. Batters can imagine that there is a pane of glass right In front at the bat, and if they push the bat forward to bunt the ball they will break the glass. The bat (or broom handle) should be level when in the bunting position. However the fat end of the bat can be tilted up at a slight angle. If the fat end of the bat is lower than the rest of the bat the ball will pop up.

Purpose: Similar to the arcade game of pinball: Keep the ball bouncing up and down. Look for bat control and proper bunting technique. Coaching softball must always include bunting in its offense

Procedure: While holding the bat with one hand, keep bouncing a ball up in the air before it hits the ground. Use as much space as needed. Holding the bat at the knob makes it more difficult. Make this “the activity of the day” and ask kids to present their highest scores (individual and team) at lunchtime. Bouncing the ball bak and forth with a partner (10 to 15 feet apart) also simulates the bunting technique (can use two hands on the bat).

Purpose: To develop the hitter’s bunting technique. Softball hitting must include bunting to have an over-all game.

Procedure: The team will need softballs, a bat, and two helmets. A marker should be placed near each base line approximately ten feet apart. The batter assumes a good hitting stance. A feeder then stands approximately fifteen feet away from the batter to overhand toss the ball to the hitter. The hitter should pivot on her back leg as the feeder raises her arm to throw the ball. As the batter pivots, she should square her body to the feeder and slide her top hand down the bat to the midpoint of the barrel. The hitter should flex her knees and get into position to bunt the ball. To bunt the ball down the third-base line, the right-handed hitter should pull his left hand to her navel. To bunt the ball down the first base line, the right-handed hitter should push her left hand away from her navel.

The batter should catch the ball with her bat,rather than punch at the ball. The batter should never bunt the ball to the feeder. The batter should practice bunting with only her top hand on the bat, so that she can learn how to catch the ball with the barrel of her bat. The batter should never drop the head of the bat below her hands when bunting. rather, she should bend her knees to bunt a low pitch.

Purpose: To teach or reinforce bunting techniques. One important softball coaching tip is to add fun during practices.

Procedure: We will need a bucket of very old softballs, a bat, a dozen eggs, a clear plastic tarp. Lay out the tarp on the ground and place the eggs on top of it. The first player bunts the ball toward the eggs, with the goal of trying to break or “scramble” the eggs with the ball. Give each player several chances, but make sure there are enough eggs to last the entire drill.

This is messy but incredibly fun. Only do this drill once, usually at the end of the season when the softballs you have been using are worn out. The player should square to bunt when the pitcher’s front foot is about to hit the ground. Substitute water balloons for eggs; however, they are harder to break. Make sure the players are away from the tarp when the coach cleans up.

Purpose: This bunting drill includes bunting and pitching techniques. It is important to add practices for bunting when coaching softball.

Procedure: You will need bats, balls, bases, gloves and screens (optional). There will be a bunter at each base and one on home plate (four people total). Four pitchers throw to the four different bunters stationed at first, second, and third base, and home plate. Either use screens as backstops at the four stations or include four actual catchers in full gear. At a safe distance, line up an equal numbers of bunters at each base. The four pitchers should pitch simultaneously. The batters practice their bunting technique (sacrifice, drag and squeeze.) Once the ball is bunted the pitcher should field the ball, while the bunter sprints to the next base (home-1st, 1st – 2nd, 2nd-3rd and 3rd – home). Work on that quick first step out of the box. Pitchers get so excellent fielding exercises in a live situation (no throwing). They should throw from the stretch, and focus on throwing strikes but they can also add in breaking pitches. Coaches can participate in pitching to keep score, track the number of successful bunts.

Purpose: This drill is an excellent motivator for perfecting bunting skills and it should usually precede batting practice. Bunting drills are important softball practice drills.

Procedure: This drill will need a softball, bat, and put an object such as a cone, extra glove, or bucket five to six feet from the foul line, The batters should assume their regular stance and square to bunt just as the pitcher’s front foot is about to hit the ground.The pivot bunt is preferred for younger players. They should pivot on the front of their feet as they square to bunt. The barrel of the bat should be even with or higher than the handle. The hitter should bunt the ball onto the dirt right in front of home plate so that the ball “dies” exactly between the catcher and third baseman. The coach can widen the cones depending on the age of the players or the team’s skill, Positive reinforcement is important in this drill.

Variation:

The coach pitches to the hitter, who tries to “drag bunt” the ball between the foul line and the object. Five points if the player is successful; deduct five points if the ball reaches the mound. If the ball goes foul, no points are subtracted or added. This encourages the batter to bunt the ball either perfectly or foul.

Purpose: This fastpitch softball drill familiarize the pitcher with coming off the pitcher’s mound after the windup to field a hunted or hit softball in front of the home-plate area

Procedure: Equipment required are A ball, a bat, gloves. Set up the drill with a pitcher, catcher, infielders, and bat¬ter .The pitcher throws the ball, and the batter bunts it toward third base. The pitcher fields the ball in what is scmetimes called “no man’s land.” Mo man’s land is the area between the pitcher, the catcher, and the third baseman. Sometimes, when the ball is bunted into this area, it is too far from the catcher and third baseman for them to field it easily, so the pitcher has the best play.

Procedure: Equipments required are Three cones, batting helmets, gloves, balls, bats.Set up three cones on the third-base line about 10 feet from home plate. Place one cone on the line and the others two feet and four feet on the fair side of it. The coach pitches the ball. The batter squares to bunt, trying to bunt the ball between the two outside cones. Award one extra swing during regular batting practice if the batter bums the ball between the two outside cones. The batter earns two extra swings for knocking down the middle cone.

Procedure: Place your glove on the end of the bat. As with the bunting stick, attempt to receive the ball in the glove. Rock back To catch the softball.Check for proper grip. Stress the proper mechanics throughout the bunting drill, bunt strikes only. Balls should be thrown at half distance or game-like velocity.

Procedure:Cut off the last eight inches of the top or barrel of a wooden bar and attach a lacrosse stick pocket to the end. Or use a lacrosse stick for the bunting drill, making sure it’s not too long Try to catch the ball in the netting. Rock back to receive the ball.Check for proper grip. Stress the proper mechanics throughout the drill. Bunt strikes only. Balls should be thrown at half distance or game-like velocity.